Friday Night’s Storm Causes Damage In Spring Hill

SPRING HILL -- Last (Friday) night's storm system left a trail of destruction in rural areas of Stearns County.

Stearns County and City of St. Cloud Emergency Management Department Manager Erin Hausauer says most of the damaged happened in Spring Hill and St. Martin.

Three out of four turkey barns were damaged on a farm in Spring Hill.

Weather spotters reported seeing funnel clouds last night in the Spring Hill, St. Joseph and St. Martin areas. At around 6:00 p.m. weather sirens were going off in St. Cloud even though the area was not under a severe weather warning.

Hausauer says the National Weather Service did not issue a tornado warning because it did not meet their criteria. But they did release a Special Weather Statement cautioning the public to be on the look-out for strong thunderstorms with possible funnels.

Hausauer says it is rare that local authorities sound weather sirens without a National Weather Service Tornado Warning, but it has happened.